, 1887-02-13
Blame Backs Out at the Last Mo-
mont.

well known Republicans present, includ-
ing Senators Hawley, Harrison and AID
rich; Governor Oglesby, of Illinois, Gov
ernor Foraker, Of Ohio; Governor Louns-
berry, of Connecticut; Senator-elect His
cock and ex-Governor Foster, of Ohio.
The list of toasts was as follows: Re
publican club of the city of New York
JosephR. Hawley; 1.-The Empire state
Senator-elect Hiscock; THE Republican
party"-Governor Foraker; Reform of
party within party"-Senator Harrison;
Young men in politics -Chaunccy NJ.
Depew; War governors Governor
Oglesby; Republican clubs as agencies of
party organizations''-E. 7. Bartlett; "a
tariff for protection"-Galusha A. Grow;
Civil service reform Henry Cabot
Lodge; Our Legislators Speaker Hus-
ted.
Mr.. Blaine had been expected to re-
spond to the toast o f"Abraham Lincoln"
but at the last moment sent a letter of
regret. The speaking continued until II
late hour.
MIR. Blaine, in his letter OF regret, said,
after referring to the anniversary and pay
ing q tribute to Washington and Lincoln
as two immortal names IN American his
tory:
Your club meets to do honor 10 Mr..
Lincoln as a Republican. 1t was a Ro-
publican party that gave Mr.. Lincoln to
the nation, and sustained him step by
step throughout his extraordinary career.
The celebration Of Mr.. Lincoln's name is
a celebration OF the Republican party. To
that party he was sincerely attached; to
its principles he was entirely devoted; in
its success he found the victorious issue of
every great policy of which he was him
self the personal exponent. The Repub-
lican party makes no attempt to narrow
the possession of fame that is recognized
on all continents, that will last through all
centuries, that belongs to humanity. But
the political organization which sup
ported Mr.. Lincoln has the right to claim
the prestige of his name as it continues to
labor in the great field where he wrought
until all the h~arvests of his planting shall
be gathered and garnered."
Senator John Sherman wrote that pres
sing business in the senate prevented his
presence at the banquet and added:
81 sincerely regret this, for | would
like in person to make an earnest appeal
to the Republicans of New York 10 for
get the divisions Of the past and unite
with their brethren North and South in
developing a line of public policy in the
future as beneficial to our country as the
great achievements of our party as in the
past thirty years. We are not in power
to-day because we are not united. 1t is
the division of Republicans in New York
that has made it possible for the Demo
cratic party now to held the great office
successfully filled by Lincoln. Grant,
Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. We have
tried a change, and what has been the re-
suit? A discordant party unable to agree
upon a line of foreign and domestic poll
cy; divided upon tariff; hopelessly at sea
on all financial questions. %obseQuious in its
foreign relations, distinguished only for
the marked prominence it has given to
Confederate soldiers in foreign courts. and
now, with its term Of office half spent the
house of representatives, Democratic by a
large majority, is unable to form
ulate II single measure of political
importance upon which it can
agree with Il Democratic president.
Surely the time has arrived when the
Republican party should assume again its
great mission. The time is opportunc.
Under the operation of laws placed upon
the statute books by Republican admins
t%rations, taxes are so levied as to produce
an OVERLOOKING revenue without a serious
burden upon the people. We are at
liberty to choose between reducing u
revenues or e%xpending our surplus in the
great and beneicent objects of natural
desire. We can combine the two lines of
public policy. We could readily reduce
the tax or sugar while giving encourage
ment to domestic products in the form OF
a bounty. We could repeal or reduce all
taxes that do not tend to encourage and
protect domestic production. We could
commence and establish a system Of coast
defenscs that will guard the great arteries